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Children Act 2004 Information Database (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

My Lords, I, too, am grateful to the Minister for introducing and explaining the regulations, which amend the ContactPoint regulations. We on these Benches have also expressed concern at the amount and the nature of information about children that is kept on databases, the levels of security of this information and who would be authorised to have access to it. Like the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, we have sought assurances about possible breaches of security by unauthorised people or organisations. However, there is a balance to be struck. We recognise the value in what the Minister set out of using technology so that authorised practitioners in different services can share information on a child so that they can work together and build up a holistic view of a child’s welfare. These regulations do not challenge the principles and design of ContactPoint but tidy up some anomalies and make amendments in the light of experience. First, the Minister mentioned the consultation that DCSF undertook last year. We note that 47 responses were received. This seems a low number on which to base some pretty significant changes. Will the Minister comment on this level of response and say whether the Government are satisfied that it is a sufficient response on which to base the amendments? Secondly, the Explanatory Memorandum gives assurances that the department will regularly survey users of ContactPoint to measure benefits delivery. What form are these surveys likely to take and how frequently are they likely to take place? Will they also monitor the costs of the database? Thirdly, Regulation 5 headed "Accessible child record" will allow the Secretary of State to determine when an individual child’s record should be shielded. This is a power that currently resides with local authorities. The additional power for the Secretary of State is apparently to be used in a small number of cases for, ""reasons of witness or victim protection"." Will the Minister clarify what safeguards are in place to ensure that the Secretary of State uses these powers very selectively, and who else in the department is likely to have access to the database on those occasions? What checks and balances are in place to ensure that an overly eager Secretary of State does not intervene excessively? I look forward to the Minister’s reply.